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Switch off lights for Earth Hour

Thursday 8 March 2018

Mount Alexander Shire Council is encouraging local residents and businesses to switch off lights between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Saturday 24 March as part of the internationally recognised Earth Hour initiative.

Earth Hour was first held in 2007 in Sydney and has since grown to include millions of participants in 187 countries. Supporters, landmarks and businesses all over the world switch off their lights for one hour as a symbolic event to support climate change action.

“Earth Hour is a useful reminder for businesses and individuals to think about their energy use and to identify ways they can save power,” said Rebecca Stockfeld, Acting Sustainable Development Director, Mount Alexander Shire Council.

“By switching off unnecessary power you’re using less electricity and saving money, which makes good sense at work, at home and for the planet,” said Ms Stockfeld.

Ms Stockfeld said Council has undertaken a number of actions to reduce power consumption and greenhouse gas emissions over the years.

“We’ve installed sensor lighting in offices and retrofitted Council owned buildings with solar panels and energy efficient LED lighting,” she said.

“Solar panels will soon be installed the historic Market Building in Castlemaine, which will produce around half of the power used by the building each year.”

Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2016-2020 outlines more than 60 actions that Council will undertake to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change vulnerability. The Action Plan states Council’s commitment to become carbon neutral in 2025.